One Quick Trick to Successfully Grow Out Your Buzz Cut

If you are one of the millions of men who buzzed their hair this summer, then you can relate to Jeremy Renner in this photo of him from the Toronto Film Festival yesterday. Renner's sharp buzz is starting to grow out and edging on dangerously puffy territory. Don't get us wrong, it still looks good, but in a few weeks the actor will find himself with a perfectly round tennis ball for a head if he does nothing (which is not a good thing). Withstanding the awkward stages of hair growth between an all-one-length buzz and say, a high-and-tight or undercut takes some skill. And that's why we called in the expert advice of Joshua Livingston, Barber at Freemans Sporting Club in New York City, to break down the tiny tweaks that can help with your in-between hair time.

Clean it Up:

Having it all one length is a great start. I always tell people to start clean. Depending on what they want to get, I'll do a light taper in the neck and at the temple. If you're gonna grow it out, typically the best way to look clean is to have your neck kinda naturally tapered out. What that does is frame the face and makes the buzz look like it's a haircut. It's a super simple tweak but it definitely changes what a buzz looks like.

Next Steps:

As you continue to grow it out, you should get a light fade up the sides, which will create a silhouette that gives more shape to your face. The best thing for most guys is going to be the medium fade. That's the most common. It's where the fade starts somewhere around the temple and fades down as low as a zero or where you can see skin.

Texture Is Your Friend:

If it tends to be a little puffy, I'd say grow your hair until it has some length. Then I would give you a medium fade and scissor the top. The scissors will give your hair a different texture than clippers do and cut down on the density.